Now through August 16th, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum in NYC is running "The Art of Noise", and exhibition includes concert posters, record albums, phonographs to digital music players, and handheld radios to sound systems. Here's a link: The Art of Noise The emphasis is on covering the very wide range of sound reproduction devices/systems, and on striking looking gear.
At least when I was there, none of the those things were turned on - with one very large exception that I think ASR participants will be particularly interested in (or reactive to) - what is called the HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3, a "large-scale, handmade, audio system by multi-disciplinary artist Devon Turnbull", who (among other pursuits apparently) manufactures and sells audio equipment under the name OJAS.
Here's a glimpse of the demonstration audio system:
I familiar enough with ASR to know that others here will have opinions based on what can be seen of this system. I and a friend spent almost an hour listening to a playlist (presumably digital, from an unknown source) and an album. I enjoyed the experience, and found the sound impressive & life-like - BUT I have almost no previous experience listening to top quality sound systems. Compared to my own, older, middle of the road system, one thing that struck me was that the sound seemed...large. My friend, who has much more experience, was impressed.
This is a quote from an information panel that accompanies the system: "Turnbull’s custom-built system consists of alnico and beryllium compression drivers on brass and steel horns; alnico and paper woofers in plywood enclosures; alnico and beryllium super tweeters; auto former-based crossovers; lacquered, cotton-covered, copper speaker wire; tube amplifiers; autoformer volume control; tube phono preamplifiers; custom-built turntables; and phono cartridges".
At least when I was there, none of the those things were turned on - with one very large exception that I think ASR participants will be particularly interested in (or reactive to) - what is called the HiFi Pursuit Listening Room Dream No. 3, a "large-scale, handmade, audio system by multi-disciplinary artist Devon Turnbull", who (among other pursuits apparently) manufactures and sells audio equipment under the name OJAS.
Here's a glimpse of the demonstration audio system:
I familiar enough with ASR to know that others here will have opinions based on what can be seen of this system. I and a friend spent almost an hour listening to a playlist (presumably digital, from an unknown source) and an album. I enjoyed the experience, and found the sound impressive & life-like - BUT I have almost no previous experience listening to top quality sound systems. Compared to my own, older, middle of the road system, one thing that struck me was that the sound seemed...large. My friend, who has much more experience, was impressed.
This is a quote from an information panel that accompanies the system: "Turnbull’s custom-built system consists of alnico and beryllium compression drivers on brass and steel horns; alnico and paper woofers in plywood enclosures; alnico and beryllium super tweeters; auto former-based crossovers; lacquered, cotton-covered, copper speaker wire; tube amplifiers; autoformer volume control; tube phono preamplifiers; custom-built turntables; and phono cartridges".
